


a billion little pieces

by antarcticas



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dating, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Idiots in Love, Just Friends, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zutara, oblivious idiots, sorta?, yeah right
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:40:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25258588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antarcticas/pseuds/antarcticas
Summary: Everyone knows Katara and Zuko are dating . . . except for Katara and Zuko.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 44
Kudos: 433





	a billion little pieces

**Author's Note:**

> S3 AU, Zuko turns in Ba Sing Se.
> 
> (note as of 09/2020 yeah um despite this fic getting relatively popular i really really dislike it to the point where it can't even be saved with a rewrite because it's just that dumb so go in risking it all and check out my newer fics because i understand how conversation works now!)

  
  
  


Hakoda is expecting Katara’s tears to be for Aang, who’s lying unconscious in one of the ship’s rooms. He turns into the hall where he hears her cries, ready to hug her and remind her that the Avatar will be okay. 

He’s surprised to see that she’s with someone else — that boy around Sokka’s age, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. He jumps back into the hall when he sees them, prepared to listen to what the ex-royal is saying to his daughter. He doesn’t trust him — or his uncle — very much, but Katara had vouched for him when they’d escaped on the ship. His relationship with his daughter is tenacious as it is, so he’d stopped his complaints and simply given the boy a dark stare. 

Katara sniffles and his heart aches. He peeks out around the hall a little bit and sees that she’s standing in front of Zuko, who has his back to him. They’re not touching, he thinks and smiles. That boy should not be anywhere near his daughter — she might be a formidable opponent but she’s fourteen, and he remembers clearly what thoughts used to run through his mind when he was in his late teens. 

Tears are running down her cheeks and she looks like she’s about to fall to the floor when Zuko puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder, keeping her up. Hakoda growls, lowly, and ducks back when Katara looks around curiously. He plasters himself against the wall and peeks again after a few minutes, biting his tongue when he notices that the hand is still there.  _ Oh, that boy is going to —  _

Katara chokes out a few words. “I can’t — I can’t believe — I’m so  _ weak —” _

He thinks about a little girl lifting up snow and smiling at him. No, she’s not weak. Katara has never been weak. He lets a little smile cross his face when Zuko echoes his thoughts — perhaps there’s hope for the Fire Lord’s son yet. Maybe.  _ That hand —  _

“Katara, you’re not weak at all. You saved Aang and you’re with him and you put your all into the fight —”

She reaches out and puts a hand on Zuko’s face. It takes Hakoda a split second to see the movement and he bites his tongue to keep from reaching toward her and stopping her from touching that dirty boy. When he calms down he realizes that she’s tracing his scar. “I told you I would have used the Spirit Water on you, on your scar . . . now I can’t . . .”

There’s another second of silence, and although he can’t see Zuko’s expression he feels like the teen is wearing an expression of shock. Then he reaches out and places a hand over Katara’s  _ (too many hands) _ , and his voice is soft; Hakoda strains his ears to hear him. “Never be sorry for that. This scar is a part of who I am now. You used it to save the Avatar’s life; that’s much more important than my vanity.”

“Zuko . . .” she stares up into his eyes before pressing herself to his chest, the rest of her sentence muffled against his clothes. 

Hakoda doesn’t really like the Fire Nation’s Prince — he doesn’t think he ever will. But as he leaves the two of them embraced, he thinks that he could perhaps learn to stand the boy. He might need to. 

* * *

__

“We should go,” Katara groans again, and Toph drums her fingers against the earth with a frown. She can feel Katara’s heart, beating irrationally, and it takes nothing to sense the tone of annoyance in her voice. She’s been repeating the same phrase for a day. Aang is playing in the water below. 

Toph isn’t stupid. She can tell what’s got the waterbender in a twist. “We’ll get him out.”

“Will we?” the other girl bites back, before throwing herself on the ground. “Aang and Sokka —”

“Katara,” she interrupts, “that’s not fair at all. Aang and Sokka want to rescue Zuko too.”

“Then why are they wasting time here?” she cries. “We have no idea what Azula and the Fire Lord could be doing to him right now . . .”

Katara is acting completely irrationally and her voice sounds angry, but she can feel vibrations that give away the anxiety the girl truly has. She was Zuko’s first friend here and they’ve been each other’s staunchest allies. She doesn’t think an extra hour of loitering here and indulging Aang will result in a change in Zuko’s position, probably trapped away at court, but Katara doesn’t see it that way. She sighs and holds out a hand. 

“I’m sorry, Toph,” she breathes out. “You’re right, that’s unfair . . . we’re just kids. Ozai wouldn’t kill Zuko but . . . he has hurt him before and I . . .”

“Don’t worry, Sugar Queen, I’m sure he’ll be fine. He’s a strong kid.”

“Yeah, he is.”

* * *

  
  


“My first girlfriend turned into the moon,” Sokka says, and Zuko stares right back at him. He doesn’t quite know why he’s on this journey; part of it is guilt, that he was found when Hakoda was lost. He wasn’t ready for a heart-to-heart.

“That’s rough, buddy,” he decides on after a bit, and Sokka just nods and they settle down. He contemplates what he’d just told Sokka, about his lack of romantic life. He’d had something with Mai a long time ago, but that’s over. He can’t be loyal to her anymore. He tells Sokka this after a moment and the other boy stares at him like he’s having a revelation.

“Don’t you have . . . feelings for someone?” he tries, and Zuko looks perplexed. He tries again. “Isn’t there anyone you’re . . . close to?”

Zuko shrugs. “I kissed a girl back in Ba Sing Se, but I didn’t like her that much. And I’m really good friends with Katara, and Toph’s the sister I wish I had, but nothing romantic.”

“. . . Sure,” Sokka looks amused. A minute later he calls back. “Did you miss Katara while you were gone?”

He sighs. Katara is almost his best friend now; she gets him, more than anyone else, and she trusted him before anyone else did. She believes in him and that means the world. “Of course I did. She’s going to be so mad at me when she realizes we left without her. I told her I wouldn’t go away again,” he sighs. Sokka snorts and then settles into sleep while Zuko keeps stoking the fire.

* * *

  
  


“What was that?” he asks, in a combination of awe and what she senses might be a little bit of fear. She settles into Appa’s front and sighs.

“It’s . . . bloodbending. I know, it’s terrible, while you were gone . . .”

“So you . . . bent his blood? Like water, and made him move?”

“Well, yeah.”

“That’s . . .”

“Terrifying,” she finishes, and he climbs forward and puts a hand on her back in a gesture that he hopes is comforting. She tenses but doesn’t move away.

“No, Katara, you stopped when you needed to, and I think it’s actually a little cool.”

She stays silent but takes one hand off the reins and clutches his. He bends down to give her an awkward back hug, ignoring the precarious position they’re in. He knows that she’ll catch him if he falls. They stay like that for a few minutes until he speaks up. “You should sleep.”

“I’m fine,” she says tightly, and he doesn’t know  _ why  _ exactly but something compels him to kiss the top of her head. He leaves his lips there for a minute before gently taking his hand away from hers and moving back so he, at least, can get rest.

* * *

  
  


Aang had thought Katara was  _ his girl  _ for a long time until he’d realized that she wasn’t an object to be had and hit himself on the head for being obtuse. She’s his best friend, though, and he wants to sit next to her. He lightly scowls when Zuko moves between him and Katara, wearing a dark robe and generally looking gloomy. He doesn’t know what Katara sees in him, exactly, but he’s just happy they’re happy. Most of the time. Right now he adjusts the hat on his head with a growl that the other boy ignores.

The play is, as expected, terrible. He’s played by a girl who he’s pretty sure is one of Ty Lee’s sisters, Katara is weepy, Zuko looks like Bosco and Sokka’s jokes are worse than usual. He averts his eyes when the play reenacts Katara and Zuko dramatically confessing their love for each other underneath Ba Sing Se. He’s not quite ready for that. Both of them blush at the stage but he can see their hands wrapped together.

Sokka and Suki leave to . . . tell jokes, or whatever, and he and Zuko and Toph and Katara sit down outside. A kid dressed up as him runs past and yells at Zuko. “Hey, your Zuko costume is pretty good, but your scar is on the wrong side!”

He snickers as Zuko turns red. “It is not on the wrong side!”

All four of them collapse into laughter and Zuko puts his head into Katara’s lap. She plays with his hair and as they grow more morose Zuko sighs. “I feel like this play is throwing my whole life back at me. I’m so glad I joined you guys.”

Katara is braiding some of the strands. “Me too. Can you believe that scene with the two of us, though? They were acting like we had some sort of great romance going on.”

Aang blanches and Toph holds in a snicker. Zuko turns his head so that he’s smothered against her stomach and sighs. “I know, right? We’re just friends.”

“The best.”

“I’m going to . . . get snacks!” he announces.

“Me too!” Toph gets up. He pulls his hat down in a futile attempt to hide the incredulous look on his face and then turns to Toph as they walk through the hall, though the movement isn’t really needed. 

“Do they seriously . . .”

“Yup,” the earthbender sighs.

* * *

  
  


Suki taps her shoulder and Katara turns her head to the other girl with a yawn. “Sokka wanted me to talk to you.”

She raises an eyebrow but the gesture isn’t accusatory at all. She’s too tired. “Yeah?”

“Are you going to back to the South Pole right now? Or would you prefer to go on one of the later ships?”

She frowns. “Is Sokka . . .”

“We’re both leaving tomorrow. He said it was your choice.”

“Well,” she yawns again. “I really want to see Gran-Gran again. And help with the rebuilding.”

“But . . .”

She sighs and holds the other girl’s hand. “I don’t want to leave Zuko here alone, Suki. He doesn’t know anyone and . . . what if someone who sympathizes with Azula or Ozai tries to kill him or something? He needs me.”

It’s Suki’s turn to raise an eyebrow at Katara’s makeshift healer chair, the one she hasn’t moved from in what seems like days. There are plenty of victims of this war, and not all of them were quick to heal. She hasn’t slept in days. “Don’t you think you would be more helpful if you slept?”

“What?”

“Don’t you think you would be more helpful with . . . stopping assassination attempts, or whatever, if you slept?”

“Who said anything about stopping assassinations?”

She wants to slap herself. “So you’re staying here?”

“Where’s here?”

“. . . The Fire Nation?”

“Yeah,” she closes her eyes, “gonna spend time with Zuko.”

Suki sighs. “Come on,” she helps Katara up, tugging the waterbender away from the room and her patient with all the energy left in her bones until she comes to one empty room and lays her down. It’s empty and adorned lightly. She hopes that whoever it belongs to won’t object to a sleepy healer.

She smiles to herself as she walks away. Like Zuko would let anything happen to her, anyways. They’re cute together.

* * *

  
  


Azula spits at him in the asylum and he ignores it. She’s only been here for a few days. Hopefully she’ll improve. He tells her such and she rolls back into the wall. “You won, Zuzu, let me wallow in peace. Be the Fire Lord and do . . . whatever, have cute little mixed babies with that water peasant. Just leave me alone, I’ll come back someday,” she breathes quietly. He ignores the last part to look at her incredulously. 

“What did you say? About . . . babies?”

She scowls. “Are you really that hard of hearing? You’re already starting to act as old and greasy as Uncle. I was talking about your cute little girlfriend, dumb-dumb. The one who you took  _ lightning  _ for? Don’t tell me you already forgot about her.”

His eyes widen and he steps back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not . . . she’s not my girlfriend.”

His sister reaches back and toys with her chains with her long and polished nails. Her bending stays blocked. “I’m trying to stage a coup and you’re thinking about your relationship status? Seriously, Zuzu, what did Mai ever see in you? Taking over your throne is going to be a piece of cake.”

He ignores her. “I already knew that, Azula. But I’m literally not dating her and I’m not going to have . . .  _ babies  _ with her.”

She raises her eyebrows. “Could’ve fooled me. The fact that you care about this so much is telling, you know. I’ve been tracking you for so long, Zuko. She’s your weakness. I’m definitely going to exploit that.”

“Yeah, yeah, coup, whatever,” he groans. “I don’t like Katara that way.”

“I don’t care. I’m trying to tell you I’m trying to take your throne, I don’t care about your dumb crush . . .”

“Oh, Agni,” he turns around and puts his hands in his hair before pulling them down and realizing its in a topknot now. “I like Katara.”

“Like her? Oh, brother, you passed that line —”

_ “I’m dating Katara.” _

She smirks as he leaves. “This is going to be so easy.”

* * *

  
  


Sokka trudges up to her ship as it arrives. She’s already in her furs and chatting to herself and she launches herself off the railing and into his arms the minute they dock. “Oh, Sokka, I don’t think I should have left Zuko alone, what if he got —”

“Whoa, whoa, relax,” he holds her out in front of him. “Zuko’s a big boy, Katara. He can last a few weeks without you.”

She frowns. “But he doesn’t sleep very well and we always get better when we’re together, and we always eat together, and it’s so  _ cold  _ here and so  _ hot  _ there and what if his mouth gets too hot . . .”

He just stares. “I don’t know if I want an answer to this, but . . . Katara. What do you do if Zuko’s mouth is hot?”

She crosses her arms across her chest. “Breathing fire can chap your lips, you know. And mine are always cold. So I put my mouth on his.”

“You’re serious.”

“Of course . . . Sokka, why are you so red? It’s so cold! Are you wearing too many furs? I swear . . .”

“Katara. What’s your relationship with Zuko?”

Her eyebrows twitch. “Well, he’s my best friend, of course.”

His jaw drops. “Right. Seriously. He’s your best friend?”

She frowns. “Of course.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes — Sokka,  _ what  _ are you trying to say?”

“Oh — Katara, I  _ cannot  _ believe you are this stupid. You kiss the guy. You sleep with the guy. You always hold hands and you  _ braid his hair —  _ Zuko is your boyfriend!”

The wind is swirling around them and lifting up ice and he swallows a little when he sees the water under the ship start moving a lot. His sister is turning pale and he’s about ready to run and call his father when the water calms and she drops to her knees in front of him. 

_ “I’m dating Zuko.” _

“Uh, yeah.”

* * *

  
  


Zuko’s waiting for her when her ship returns and she launches herself off the deck to land into his arms. He pulls her close to him and Katara smiles into his chest and then looks up and taps his chin. “Looks like someone grew a bit of a beard.”

He smirks and kisses the crown of her head. “Do you like it?”

She looks back to observe it for a minute and then bops him on the nose. “No, it’s terrible, please shave it off.”

He lifts her up in the air and then puts her down and lets her lay her hand across his scar. It doesn’t bother him very much when she does it. It’s a part of one of his favorite memories, a memory in which a beautiful girl traced it in a crystal cave. He smirks. 

“Now, on whose authority is it that Fire Lord Zuko shave?”

She bites her lip as she stares into his eyes. This is the moment of truth. “His girlfriend’s?”

He smiles right into her and kisses her, twirling her around in the air again. “I think being a good boyfriend is my first priority. I think it always has been.”

“Yeah?” she says, eyes shining, and he looks right into them with a smirk. 

“Yeah.”

  
  
  



End file.
